Burnishing or polishing device



Sept, 25, 1934- J. FIGUERAS FABREGAT 1,974,771

BURNISHING OR POLISHING DEVICE Filed Feb. 9, 1955 lhwentor (Ittorneg Patented Sept. 25, 1934 PATENT OFFICE BURNISHING OR POLISHING DEVICE Jos Figueras Fabregat, Barcelona, Spain Application February 9, 1933, Serial No. 655,999

, In Spain February 12, .H1932 4 Claims.

This invention relates to burnishing or polishing devices. v

Such devices at present in use have the disadvantage that they are not suitable for use with irregular shaped articles due to the rigidity of the polishing belt or tool, which prevents the latter from adapting its surface to that of the article submitted to its action.

The main object of the present invention is to obviate this disadvantage.

According to the present invention the improved device comprises a piece of glass paper, emerycloth or the like in the shape of an are, resting internally on one or more layers or thicknesses of cloth, leather, metal strip or other flexible mateformed by the glass paper or emery-cloth a certain consistencyl and rigidity. A number of these devices are suitably tted on a moving part of a polishing or burnishingy machine, such as a pulley, drum, belt or the like.

Any desired number of such devices may be used and the moving part has a speed which is sufficient to cause the arcs, formed by the glass paper or the emery-cloth and the layers or thicknesses of exible material on which the arcs rest, to acquire, through the effect of centrifugal force and of the air below each arc, a certain rigidity. Under these conditions when the article to be polished is placed against the movable flexible surface of the glass paper or emery-cloth, the arcs formed by the burnishing devices adapt themselves exactly to the irregularities or unevennesses of the article, and change shape in such a manner as to yield when they meet a projecting part of the article and protrude into the recessed parts.

As already explained, the improved device may be applied in various manners, so as to constitute a polishing apparatus, and I will now proceed to describe two diierent modes of execution of the same, one in which the burnishing or polishing element is tted on a pulley or drum, in the form of a grinding wheel or rotary burnishing or polishing element, and the other in which the said element is tted on an endless belt.

When the element is iitted on a pulley forming a drum or grinding -wheel, the drum in question consists essentially of a pulley or wheel, on the rim of which are tted the ends of a number of pieces of glass paper, emery-cloth or the like the width of which slightly exceeds that of the rim, and the length of which is suicient to cause each of the said pieces to form an arc, so that the said rim is provided with a series of arcs arranged one after the other. When the drum so constituted rotates, these arcs, through the action of centrifugal force, as well as of the air which is caught inside the arcs, acquire a certain rigidity which causes them to retain their shape, and if an article to be burnished or polished is placed against them perpendicularly, the surface of the arcs, which is extremely exible, yields when it meets the projecting parts of the article, and protrudes into the recessed parts of the same.

When the improved device is fitted on an endless belt, it constitutes essentially a flexible endless belt, which may be of any material and which ismounted on two or more pulleys. To this belt are attached portions of glass paper, =emery cloth or the like forming a succession vof arcs, the ends of which are secured to the endless belt itself. Against the arcs of glass paper or emerycloth with which the said belt is provided is applied, at the part running over the driving or supporting pulleys, the article which it is proposed to burnish or polish. As in the case of the arrangement already described, these arcs, owing to the velocity imparted to the belt, as well as to the air which is caught inside the arcs, tend to retain a certain rigidity, so that, when they meet the article submitted to their action, they adapt themselves to all the irregularities of the article, and thus is effected the burnishing or polishing of the surfaces with which the arcs come into contact.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein two preferred embodiments have been illustrated by way of example:

Fig. 1 shows the method of applying the burnishing device to a drum to form a rotary polishing element. Fig. 2 illustrates the drum shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows the method of tting the improved burnishing device on an endless belt, a portion of the said belt being shown in elevation.

Fig. 4 illustrates a further view of the belt shown in` Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 illustrates the method of fitting up and utilizing the belt in question.

Referring to the drawing, in the arrangement shown on Figs. l and 2 a drum comprising a central pulley l is shown fitted in a suitable manner of the shaft 2- of an appropriate polishing machine. In the rim or Working surface 3 of this pulley, which is in the nature of an endless track, there are notches arranged axially, in which are inserted the'ends of a number of pieces 5 of glass paper, emery cloth or the like, which are secured to the rim itself by means of cross pieces 7. The latter are fitted in any suitable manner, for example by the interlocking of a lever 8 with a pin 9 with which the said cross pieces are provided. This arrangement may be varied however, for the same resultl can be obtained by means of screws orin any other suitable manner.

Each of the pieces 5 of glass paper or emerycloth, is given the shape of an arc and is provided inside with stiifening means comprising one or more layers or thicknesses 6 of cloth, leather, rubber or other material possessing lgood flexibility.

The stiiening layers or thicknesses are wider than the rim 3, and thepieces of glass paper or emery-cloth are, in their turn, wider than the stiffeners 6.

It should be observed that the pieces 5 have a number of transverse cuts at the point at which commences the curvature of the arc which they form, i. e. near the rim 3. These cuts extend An alternative form of this mode of execution` could be obtained by arranging the central core 1 in such a manner that, instead of having the shape of a pulley, it comprises a pair of arms, the end of each of which carries the device for fixing the pieces of glass paper, emery-cloth or the like referred to above.

The modified arrangement shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 comprises an endless belt or track 10 made of any flexible material, such as steel, canvas, leather, metal gauze or other suitable material, the width and thickness of which may be varied. On this belt are fixed, at suitable distances from each other, stops 11 to which are secured, by means of cross pieces 12, the ends of the pieces of kglass paper or emery-cloth 13, which rest underneath on one or more layers 14 of cloth, leather, or metal strip, the purpose of which is to impart a certain consistency and rigidity to the arc-shaped piece of glass paper or emery cloth 13.

In order that, when the shape of the arcs is changed under the pressure of the article which is being burnished, the stops 11 and 12 may in no case be struck by the article in question, there are provided inside each of the arcs other stops l5, which are attached to the belt 10 at a suitable distance from each other, and together form a sort of working surface of the belt, and so as to permit such stops to pass over the rim of the pulley on which the belt is mounted. These stops may be of any shape or material', although they are generally given the shape of rectangular prismatic bodies, one of the faces of which is attached to the belt 10 by means of a rivet 16, or in any other suitable manner. They may moreover be solid or hollow, and may vary also as regards the materials of which they are composed, for they may be made of metal, wood, rubber, or other suitable material.

The cross pieces 12 which secure the ends of the pieces of glass paper or emery-cloth of each of the successive arcs, are attached to corresponding stops 11, as shown in the drawing, or in any other suitable manner; in the case of the arrangement shown in the drawing, each cross piece 12 has a pin 17 which fits into a hole in the stop 11, on which is mounted a small lever 18, whichfts into a recess 19 in the pin 17 itself, being held in this locked position by the action of a spring 20. It is therefore sufficient to move the said lever in a suitable directionV to release the pin 17, and allow of the withdrawal of the corresponding cross piece. As has already been pointed out, however, the arrangement adopted for this purpose may vary.

The belt 10 is narrower than the stiffeners 14, and these are, in their turn, narrower than the pieces of glass paper or emery-cloth 13.

As in the case of the preceding arrangement, the pieces 13 are provided with transverse cuts at the point at which commences the curvature of the arcs which they form, i. e. near the stops 11. These cuts extend as far as the edge of the corresponding stiffener 14, and their purpose is the same.

Fig. 5 shows the method of mounting and utilizing this endless belt, with its burnishing or polishing elements. The arrow 21 indicates the position and direction in which the article to be burnished is applied. This is at the place where the element itself runs over one of the supporting or driving pulleys 22 of the belt. Each of the arcs of the element in question possesses a certain rigidity but its surface is very flexible and it adapts itself perfectly in consequence to all the irregularities in the surface of the article submitted to its action, while it changes position. The said surface is thus polished, however complex it may be.

Variations may be introduced as regards the polishing machines to which this new burnishing element is' applied, as well as in the dimensions and particular shape of the said element andfjof the part or parts (belt, drum, etc.) on which the said element is fitted, and also in the number of arcs provided on the burnishing element, and whatever else does not alter, change or modify the essential featuresof the invention herein described.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

Y. 1. A buing or polishing device, comprising a continuous, flexible track, members formed of 120 material consisting ofglass-paper, emery-cloth and the like, stiffeners backing said members, and fastening members on said track, and loosely securing arcuate portions of said members to said track, the said track having recesses therein for 125 receiving the fastening members and being of such depth that said fastening members project outwardly no further than the level of the track, centrifugal force during movement of said track causing said arcuate portions to assume a some- 13g what rigid position, and the track contacting with the first members and preventing direct contact of the article to be polished with the fastening members, upon occurrence of inward movement of said first members.

2. A bufling or polishing device, comprising a support capable of movement at a high speed, the said support having a working surface, members formed of material from the group consist ing of glass-paper, emery-cloth and the like, stiffeners backing said members and narrower than said members, and fastening members securing said first-mentioned members in arcuate portions to Isaid support, in such manner that the length of the first members between adjacent fastening members is much greater than is the length of the support between said fastening members, the outermost surface of said fastening members projecting outwardly no further than the working surface of said support, centrifugal force result- 15g ing from movement of said support causing the arcuate portions of said `first-mentioned members to be somewhat rigid,and the working surface lof. said support contacting with the first members and preventing direct contact of the article to be polished, in the fastening members, upon occurrence of inward movement of said first members.

3. A buiiing or polishing device, comprising a' .sition, and the drum contacting at its periphery with the first members and preventing direct contact of the article to be polished with the fastening members, upon occurrence of inward movement of said rst members.

4., A buiiing or polishing device, comprising an endless belt, pulleys over which said belt travels. polishing members of polishing material, fastening vmembers loosely securing arcuate portions of said polishing members at spaced points on .said belt, in such manner that the length of the iirst members between adjacent fastenng .members is much greater than isthe length of the belt between said fastening members, and 'a plurality of stops on said belt between each pair of fastening members disposed between said belt and said polishing members, and extending outwardly from said belt at least as far as the fastening members, centrifugal force causing the arcuate portions to assume a somewhat rigid position, and the stops preventing direct`contact of the article to be polished mwith the fastening members', upon, occurrence of inward movement of said polishing members. i

' JosFIGUERAs FABREGAT. 

